Empire | ATEEZ

029

I braced myself for his anger, for the resurfacing of the cold mask he had been wearing all week after the argument over Mingi and me, expecting a scolding, a warning, anything but the words that left his mouth.

"Can I see it?"

〄

I closed my eyes as I felt Seonghwa's fingers grazing over the skin on my back, feeling my heartbeat pick up as a shiver trailed down the length of my spine in the wake of his touch.

He traced the outline of the sword silently, taking in the sword which was identical to his own; the hilt just reaching the back of my neck and the blade cutting all the way down my spine.

"It's already healed," he said, "You got this weeks ago."

I stayed silent, not embarrassed but nervous as a sigh escaped my lips. The silence in the empty apartment, around us, grew heavy, tense, as I felt his eyes burning against my skin, no doubt focusing on every little detail drawn onto my back.

Seonghwa touched every cut and curve, his fingertips dancing across the planes of bare skin, "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, the question barely more than a low breath in the quiet night, "You could have told me."

"I knew you didn't want me to," I breathed, closing my eyes as I felt the heat from his fingers as they came to a halt at the small of my back where he flattened out his palm and pressed it against my skin.

"You've made it awfully clear how you feel about me dictating your life," Seonghwa said, his voice cutting beautifully though the darkness, "I think it's beautiful, though. I think you're beautiful. All of you," he paused for a moment as if contemplating his next words.

"I could never leave you, not even if I wanted to, not even because of this, not now. And I know that it's dangerous, that I'm dangerous and flawed and imperfect, but I can't help but want you. I can't help but want you to want me back. I'm desperate for you to want me back, for you to be mine again."

"I tried it before; staying away, just silently protecting you, thinking that it would be enough for me but it really isn't. Not anymore. I care too much, I fell too deeply, and I know I hurt you, hurt both of us, but I can't stay away, Nari."

〄

The next morning was slow, relaxed, almost foreign, as I let out a small sound of content at the feeling of Seonghwa's hands in my hair, looking up at him from where I lay with my head in his lip as he brought the mug to his lips.

I had finally gotten him back. He was all mine and I was all his and all of the things that had been said in the darkness were still echoing in my ears, whispering to me from the farthest corners of my mind, the memories of them bringing a small smile to my lips.

I marveled in the way the light fell on his face and turned his dark eyes lighter; a completely different shade of brown than the one I had come to know.

The smell of coffee hang heavily in the air, dark and rich and warm, as he leaned back on the couch and angled his head slightly downwards, catching my eye, noticing my staring. His ears turned red.

"What?" Seonghwa mumbled, looking almost flustered as I sighed and shook my head a little, "Nothing. You're just beautiful."

And then the silence returned, except, this time, I welcomed it. For it was no longer heavy or threatening or dangerous, filled with heavy secrets or regrets, but rather with comfort and something new, something unfamiliar, which weighed down on my heart instead.

I realized it as soon as Seonghwa spoke, though, recognising it with a sudden start as my eyes widened slightly and my breath caught in my throat.

"I love you," he whispered, moving his hand from my hair to my cheek where he let the back of his thumb move across the slightly flushed skin in lazy circles.